It has become common for the owners of trucks, tractors, trailers, recreational vehicles and other heavy duty vehicles to desire to increase the gas mileage of such vehicles, particularly as gas prices rise, by adding aerodynamic enhancements. Such aerodynamic enhancements include adding wheel covers to such vehicles. Nuts and bolts typically extend out from the rims of the wheels on such vehicles, the rims may protrude or the wheels may be extremely concave increasing the drag and reducing the optimal performance of the vehicle. Owners of such vehicles also desire to customize them by providing decorative wheel covers to enhance the otherwise unattractive wheels thereof. Thus, there is a need for an aerodynamic wheel cover that is durable, enhances the performance and gas mileage of the vehicle by reducing drag and improving the overall appearance of the vehicle and its wheels. There is need for a wheel cover assembly and installation method that is easy to install and can be quickly assembled for use on a heavy duty vehicle.
The mounting assembly and associated wheel cover mounting method disclosed herein improve the wheel cover installation and removal process since the method requires a reduced number of tools and can be accomplished faster and simpler, with fewer parts than existing wheel cover mounting methods and mechanisms.
A significant source of drag on tractor-trailers includes the wheel assemblies of the vehicle. Such lead to increased transportation costs which are ultimately passed on to the consumers in the price of delivered products. In general, the aerodynamic drag of a vehicle increases when air flow is affected by a wheel opening. Such is particularly significant with deep wheel openings commonly found on heavy duty vehicles.
Consequently, there is a need for wheel covers that decrease drag. Accordingly, embodiments described herein provide mounting assemblies, mechanisms and methods for attaching cover assemblies, particularly aerodynamic wheel cover assemblies, to wheel assemblies which do not require the removal of the nuts retaining the wheel to the hub of the axle. In addition, there is a need for such a wheel cover assembly which allows the air pressure of tires on such wheels to be easily checked and adjusted when installed on the vehicle wheel.